~Welcome to Budderlane~
Budder Lane is dedicated to my best friend BUD and his seemingly wrongful death from bad veterinary practices! My cat died from a very treatable ear infection which in turn I believe caused the Horner's Syndrome to develop and helped caused him to die. It wasn't until I took my cat to real Veterinary Hospital and that Dr. looked into his ears with an Otoscope. Then and only then did we discovered his ear canals were completely clogged and he had a broken ear drum! Something the vet from Buffalo, Mo. could have never
known, because he didn't own an Otoscope! The tool you look in the ears with!
This is an edited copy of the first of two complaints I filed with the Missouri Veterinary Medical Board.
Click on "ABOUT" link above
for my second complaint.
Check my Contact page for:
My response to the medical board
(This website updated Jan.. 25th, 2011.)
Note: Both Veterinary Dr's were cleared by the Missouri Veterinary Medical Board concerning both cases.
The
Veterinary Dr's names and my name
have been left out of this complaint and response. The
complaint and response from
The Missouri Veterinary Medical Board
are real and true to the best of my knowledge!
1st Veterinary Dr.
To: Missouri Veterinary Medical Board
Friday, September 05, 2003
From: John Doe Mo.
I would like to lodge my complaint against a Veterinary Dr. in Buffalo, Mo.
On March 4th 2002 I took my cat Bud to a Veterinary Clinic in Buffalo, Mo. for a Simple to treat ear infection. (See attached invoice 00000.) (Not Disclosed)
He visually examined the ear and prescribed a tube of Derma Vet Ointment 15ml. After following the prescribed treatment I thought the problem was taken care of. Months later the ear started to bother him again. I took him back to the same vet apparently on Dec. 6th 2002 for booster shots and started some new ear might medicine on Dec. 7th2002. For some reason I wrote my notes on the March 4threceipt. The treatment was to last 5 days then I was told to stop treating the ears with that medicine. (See attached receipts.) (Not Disclosed)
On July 23rd 2003 I took him back to the vet because his one ear still seemed to be bothering him. He examined the ear and cleaned it with an over the counter product and prescribed Animax Ointment 15ml. (See attached receipt.) (Not Disclosed)
On Aug. 7th 2003 I took him back to the vet again! This time for the same ear infection. He claimed my cat had TMJ (Temporal Mandibular Joint) at this time he wiggled his jaw back and forth and showed me how much it moves from side to side.
Imagine the pain pain my cat felt while he was doing that! Then he gave him a shot of Methylprednisolone an anti inflammatory shot and at that time told me he was guessing. I took that as he was guessing as to what the infectionction and problem might have been. (See attached receipt.) Invoice # 00000 (Not Disclosed)
NOTE:A few days later I had called him back and he told me he was wiggling other cat's jaws to see if they had as much movement as my cat did. This tells me he wasn't sure what he was doing!
P.S. Added 2003-09-09 This vet also wanted to give him a fourth of a Valium to stimulate his appetite telling me my cat would lick the bottom out of a tin can. I told him I wanted my cat to get better to get his appetite back feeling that, that was a temporary solution. And then he told me over the phone that I could give him a piece of a Tylenol if I wanted to, but don't give him an aspirinbecauseit was poisonous to cats. I already knew that & told him I wasn't taking a chance with the Tylenol.
After I started looking up the procedures for treating an ear infection on the internet I started getting a better understanding of what was supposed to be going on. I came to realize that Veterinary Dr. wasn't treating the ear infection properly. When I confronted him on the proper procedure I had printed out from the internet and brought with me he said to me are you questioning my 12 years experience as a vet? I said no that was not it at all, and told him I was looking things up on the internet to get a better understanding of my cats problems because he didn't have the time for me to call him and ask him questions all day long. I started asking him why
he didn't take ear samples from each ear and test them or check the samples under a microscope or what ever it is a vet is supposed to do then treat the ears with the proper medication. Then I asked him why he wasn't using an Otoscope to look inside of the ear canals with. He then told me his broke a while back and he just never bought a new one. I couldn't believe what he was telling me. In shock and disbelief I said "you mean to tell me you don't have one of those tools to look in his ear with" He replied no he didn't!
Well with an ear infection like my cat has as a veterinary in business you would think he would own the proper tools to treat any animal with! Apparently he doesn't!
Then I took him back Aug. 10th because he wasn't getting better or responding to treatment. He preformed a blood test and could find no major problems. (See attached receipts.) (Not Disclosed)
It was at this time I notice my cats right eye was not dilated the same as the left eye, and pointed that out to him. We both agreed it wasn't like that on Aug. 7th, 2003. I will take this time to add that once he realized he couldn't help my with my cats ear infection and sensed my growing frustration at his lack of knowledge and tools and experience, and he did not charge me for the blood test or that day's visit, but by this time my cat had lost just over 4 pounds! It was at this time that he personally recommended a Veterinary Hospital, in Springfield, Mo.
NOTE: Since then I also found out on the internet that prolonged treatment of the wrong antibiotics can do almost as much damage to a cat's ear as not treating it at all!
I took my cat to the Veterinary Hospital where the first thing the Dr. did was to take samples from each ear and test it for the type of infection it was so he could prescribe the proper treatment and then he looked down inside the ears with an Otoscope! He was admitted and knocked out so they could clean his ears properly. He was on intravenous feeding tubes and stayed in the hospital for 2 nights. Both of his ear canals were completely clogged. Something the Dr. from Buffalo could have never known because he didn't have the proper tools, an Otoscope! By this time so much time had passed for my cat that he is now NOT responding to the treatment, and has developed Horner's Syndrome (The right side of his face is paralyzed). In the event he was to get well he would of more than likely have had a vision loss in his right eye, and deafness in his right ear. I could have managed to deal and live with that. But he is so far gone now 9/5/2003 10:30 PM that this morning the Dr. at the Veterinary Hospital has informed me that if he is not responding to the treatment by now chances are he won't! I feel all this is due to the prolonged ear infection and improper treatment from the Buffalo Dr. I am to take him to the vet on Monday to have him put to sleep.
This is where the tooth broken by the Bolivar, Mo. Dr. has come into play causing complications on top of the ear infection and Horner's Syndrome. The tooth he refused to pull unless I paid for the extraction after he broke it!
I just wished these two Dr's were here feeding him with a syringe for the last three weeks wiping food from his mouth because he could not swallow properly because of all the swelling around the ear and neck area and watching him lose weight and slowly dieing on me! With his face paralyzed and just laying in one spot for days on end and blood dripping from his ear all over the house! Not to mention I have spent over $700.00 at the Veterinary Hospital and he is probably going to die as the end result!
Thank You Very Much Professional Veterinaries Clinic's in Missouri!
I would like to see him be held fully responsible for all the Hospital bills I have inquired resulting from his lack of experience, tools, and his guessing techniques! I am truly frustrated with so called vets in this area. If you let this incident go by without proper interaction, I will think the whole state is run in the same manner as the veterinary clinics in this area are! Allowing them to get away with harmful and damaging veterinary practices on pets and other animals that like my cat are considered to be like children to some people!
Filing this complaint is very important to me! I am the only person that can speak for my pet and that cares enough to do so! He was put to sleep Monday, September 08, 2003 at 11:20am! He was a big cat that weighted 20.5 pounds and had lost at least 51/2 pounds before his death! At death he weighed 14.5 pounds.
Thank You Very Much for your Time.
Sincerely John Doe
There reply was this letter they sent back to me.
Missouri
Department of Economic Development
Bob Holden /Governor
Division of Professional Registration /
Marilyn TaylorWilliams, Director
Joseph L. Driskill /Director
MISSOURI VETERINARY MEDICAL BOARD
3605 Missouri Boulevard
P.O. Box 633
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0633
573-751-0031
573-526-3856 FAX
800-735-2966 TDD
October 17, 2003
Board Case # 2004-13
Dear Mr. John Doe
At their October 8-9, 2003 meeting, the members of the Missouri Veterinary Medical Board reviewed your complaint against Dr. Blank,
DVM.
After careful consideration, the board decided to close the case and take no disciplinary action against Dr. Blank's license at this time, regarding the alleged violation of the Veterinary Medical Practice Act.
Sincerely,
Dana K. Hoelscher
Executive Director
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